June 08, 2009

The Secret of My Success: The Diet Notebook

All right, I know: there's a bunch of you out there who are saying: that's her trick? A diet notebook? Are you kidding?

Stay with me, folks.

It's no magic bullet. But with consistent use, a diet journal can be one of the best tools for keeping you motivated and on track. Think of it as your own, personal diet coach, pointing the way as to what's working and what's not, celebrating your successes and providing objective feedback regarding any slip-ups:

A diet journal is useful not only in review; it's a place to plan and strategize. In my case, I tend to do fine at home; it's when I go out that I find it hard to resist temptation. So I made a list of things I could get when I eat out:

The Journal Format

Here's what I do: On the first (left-hand) page of my diet journal, I note the date, write down my weight, and take my measurements. I then flip the page; on the left side I note what I eat and any exercise I do that day. On the right page, I write about anything I want, as long as it's diet- or fitness-related. Successes, challenges, failures; ideas, observations, epiphanies, connections, fears. It doesn't matter. It's okay to whine. It's okay to brag. It's all good.

I flip the page and continue the journal part on the right side. On the left is the day's "strategy and reward page," which is my favorite part of the journal. On it, I plot out my goals (what I'll weigh, what size I will be, what I'll be able to do or wear by a certain date). I'll think up low-cost, low-carb treats with which to reward myself, cut out and paste inspiring images from magazines, make gratitude lists and grocery lists alike, copy quotes I like and write down menus (prospective or retrospective) and record recipes:

When I have a good week, I enjoy logging my record of virtue, and when I have a bad week, I use my diet journal to figure out what went wrong and why. Did I let myself get hungry? Was I bored? Stressed? What choices would have supported my goals?

Some ideas for topics to get you started on your own diet journal:

Why do you want to lose weight or get fit?

Have you ever been fit? If so, what was your life like at that time? Is there any way you can emulate some of those behaviors or re-create some of those conditions?

If you've never felt fit, why do you think that is? What life-conditions have impacted you in this way?

What is the #1 thing you can do to help yourself out to meet your goal? Are you willing to do this? Why or why not?

What is the #1 thing the person or people closest to you can do to help you meet your goal? Can you share with them what that is?

Look through cookbooks or recipes online that are compatible with your chosen diet. Do you see any menus or recipes that inspire you? Write them down or print them out and paste them into your journal.

Visual what your life will be like when you meet your goal. Do not use the conditional tense ("I would look great and have tons of energy"); use the future or even the present tense ("I will look great and have tons of energy" or "I look great and have tons of energy"). Feel the difference? Imagine your goal in juicy detail.

Brainstorm ways to inject something enjoyable into your day: bring into work fresh flowers cut from your own garden; give yourself permission to play solitaire or read a good book; have a long chat with a friend; take a bubble bath; give yourself 15 extra minutes in bed in the morning; take your child or children to the park and put chores on hold for a whole day.

Come up a list of fitness milestones and healthy rewards to celebrate them.

When you come up with a strategy that works for you, write it down. At some point I realized that I really can't "feel" if I'm full until I stand up. If I'm in a restaurant, I might stand to put on or take off a coat or sweater. Once I started employing the strategy of standing up and figured out a way I could do it without feeling silly, I overcame a huge hurdle and overcame a particularly stubborn plateau.

Record all the good stuff happening to you on this journey: greater stamina, better test results, improved blood sugar, concentration, or attitude. Observe any healthy choices you make and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!

Comments

The Secret of My Success: The Diet Notebook

All right, I know: there's a bunch of you out there who are saying: that's her trick? A diet notebook? Are you kidding?

Stay with me, folks.

It's no magic bullet. But with consistent use, a diet journal can be one of the best tools for keeping you motivated and on track. Think of it as your own, personal diet coach, pointing the way as to what's working and what's not, celebrating your successes and providing objective feedback regarding any slip-ups:

A diet journal is useful not only in review; it's a place to plan and strategize. In my case, I tend to do fine at home; it's when I go out that I find it hard to resist temptation. So I made a list of things I could get when I eat out:

The Journal Format

Here's what I do: On the first (left-hand) page of my diet journal, I note the date, write down my weight, and take my measurements. I then flip the page; on the left side I note what I eat and any exercise I do that day. On the right page, I write about anything I want, as long as it's diet- or fitness-related. Successes, challenges, failures; ideas, observations, epiphanies, connections, fears. It doesn't matter. It's okay to whine. It's okay to brag. It's all good.

I flip the page and continue the journal part on the right side. On the left is the day's "strategy and reward page," which is my favorite part of the journal. On it, I plot out my goals (what I'll weigh, what size I will be, what I'll be able to do or wear by a certain date). I'll think up low-cost, low-carb treats with which to reward myself, cut out and paste inspiring images from magazines, make gratitude lists and grocery lists alike, copy quotes I like and write down menus (prospective or retrospective) and record recipes:

When I have a good week, I enjoy logging my record of virtue, and when I have a bad week, I use my diet journal to figure out what went wrong and why. Did I let myself get hungry? Was I bored? Stressed? What choices would have supported my goals?

Some ideas for topics to get you started on your own diet journal:

Why do you want to lose weight or get fit?

Have you ever been fit? If so, what was your life like at that time? Is there any way you can emulate some of those behaviors or re-create some of those conditions?

If you've never felt fit, why do you think that is? What life-conditions have impacted you in this way?

What is the #1 thing you can do to help yourself out to meet your goal? Are you willing to do this? Why or why not?

What is the #1 thing the person or people closest to you can do to help you meet your goal? Can you share with them what that is?

Look through cookbooks or recipes online that are compatible with your chosen diet. Do you see any menus or recipes that inspire you? Write them down or print them out and paste them into your journal.

Visual what your life will be like when you meet your goal. Do not use the conditional tense ("I would look great and have tons of energy"); use the future or even the present tense ("I will look great and have tons of energy" or "I look great and have tons of energy"). Feel the difference? Imagine your goal in juicy detail.

Brainstorm ways to inject something enjoyable into your day: bring into work fresh flowers cut from your own garden; give yourself permission to play solitaire or read a good book; have a long chat with a friend; take a bubble bath; give yourself 15 extra minutes in bed in the morning; take your child or children to the park and put chores on hold for a whole day.

Come up a list of fitness milestones and healthy rewards to celebrate them.

When you come up with a strategy that works for you, write it down. At some point I realized that I really can't "feel" if I'm full until I stand up. If I'm in a restaurant, I might stand to put on or take off a coat or sweater. Once I started employing the strategy of standing up and figured out a way I could do it without feeling silly, I overcame a huge hurdle and overcame a particularly stubborn plateau.

Record all the good stuff happening to you on this journey: greater stamina, better test results, improved blood sugar, concentration, or attitude. Observe any healthy choices you make and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!